1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manually operated massage instrument or appliance designed to cause a localized hyperaemia in the areas of the skin subjected to the massage. This localized hyperaemia consists in a congestion of the blood due to an activation of the underlying circulation, and facilitates the penetration of suitable substances. It is possible, therefore, to profit from this effect in particular in the field of cosmetics, in order to enable penetration of various creams or lotions into the area of the skin which has been congested by massage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Present massage instruments include the friction glove and the massage brush, the latter having a plurality of spikes or points on its active surface which, on contact with the skin, cause a slight depression in the skin and consequently a localized hyperaemia.
In the French Patent Application No. 78-12063 filed on Apr. 24, 1978, (now published as French Pat. No. 2,424,022 issued May 24, 1982) there is disclosed a massage brush whose active surface is provided with asymmetrical spikes made of an elastically deformable, flexible material each having a concave portion and an opposite convex portion. The above-mentioned asymmetrical spikes in effect have a greater bending stength when their convex portion is used and a lower strength when their concave portion is used. In addition, the spikes are disposed facing away from one another, i.e. one spike having its concave portion facing in one direction is adjacent to a spike having its concave portion facing in the other direction.
The above massage instrument provides a double advantage: in the first instance, the efficiency of the skin massage is improved greatly in comparison with the massage obtained by known massage instruments such as a friction glove. In effect, the friction on the skin caused by spikes having alternating zones whose bending strength in the direction of displacement of the applicator is high and zones whose bending strength in the same direction is lower, causes on the sking the formation of wave-like or sinuous depressions which are displaced on the skin simultaneously with the massage instrument. In addition, as the spikes are made of an elastically deformable, flexible material, a brush of this type allows forceful massage of the skin without the risk of lesions or abrasions of the epidermal layers whilst adapting completely to the various morphologies of users.